The most common system and method for delivering disinfectants to surfaces, for example, tile, wood, granite, plastic, and glass is through the use of spray bottles containing a disinfectant solution, typically comprising an alcohol. The user operates the spray bottle by aiming the bottle's nozzle in the direction of the surface to be treated and applying pressure to a plunger, which causes the release of the disinfectant in a small particle fluid form. However, because fluids from spray bottles are dispersed as a bolus, and rely on the precise aim of the user, portions of surfaces may remain untreated and therefore potentially infected with pathogens or materials causing noxious odors. Moreover, such disinfectant solutions are ineffective at removing airborne pathogens.
To address airborne odors, bacteria, and viruses, aerosols have been utilized to disinfect and deodorize the ambient air in an enclosed area, such as in a home, car, or cabin on a boat or plane. The dispersal of the fluid from canister or bottle may be achieved by repeated plunging of a lever that sprays a predetermined amount of fluid, or alternatively, the canister may continuously spray fluid so long as the plunger is depressed. However, similar to surface disinfectants, aerosol disinfectant delivery systems can only deliver disinfectant for a limited time and to a limited area. While gases from aerosols may substantially fill an area by entropic forces, because disinfectant gases from aerosols are not constantly released they are not effective at disinfecting substantially entire spaces rapidly.
Another method and system of deodorizing room may include providing plug-in or wall mounted units defining a reservoir that releases deodorizing particles. Drawbacks of such systems include, limited portability, as some units require electricity to operate; limited operability, as some units are motion activated; a predetermined rate of disinfectant release, as the disinfectant is released at a constant rate, and as a result, are of limited effectiveness, as none of the units on the market provide for both rapid release and slow release of gaseous disinfectant particles to sanitize a particular space.
It is therefore desirable to provide for a portable disinfectant system that disinfects a particular space either rapidly or slowly and that does not require electricity or constant activation by the user.